Denmark took a significant step toward becoming a European green energy hub on Thursday as Energinet opened the first capacity sales for the nation’s debut hydrogen pipeline.

The project, dubbed Danish Hydrogen Backbone 1 or "the 7" due to its geographic route, represents the transition from theoretical planning to binding market commitments. Market players can now reserve transport capacity for the pipeline, which will run from Esbjerg through Veerst to the German border at Frøslev.

Energinet, the national transmission system operator, is offering 2.7 gigawatts (GW) of transport capacity for the period spanning Dec. 31, 2030, through Jan. 1, 2046. The opening of the sale on the PRISMA platform allows producers and industrial consumers to translate initial interest into concrete agreements.

However, the project’s realization depends on a specific market threshold. Under current policy frameworks, the infrastructure will only proceed if the market collectively books a minimum of 0.5 GW of capacity.

"The capacity sale gives us a clearer picture of the need for the transport of green hydrogen and the time horizon that the players are working with," said Michael Linnemann Pedersen, area manager for megaprojects at Energinet. "The minimum booking of 0.5 GW will be an important indicator of the pace."

Denmark aims to leverage its vast wind and solar resources to produce green hydrogen, a fuel source critical for decarbonizing heavy industry and transport sectors that cannot easily transition to direct electrification. 

The backbone is designed to eventually connect Danish production sites with German export markets.

According to current schedules, construction is slated to begin in mid-2028, with the pipeline becoming operational by the end of 2030.

Interested parties have until Dec. 1, 2026, to submit their formal capacity requests. Officials noted that the outcome of this sale will serve as the economic foundation for the final investment decision and subsequent expansions of the network.